Mutant Turtles Conquer the Mighty 300

The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Be sure to check back on Monday for final figures based on actual box office.

This was another great weekend for geeks as the month’s second comic book based property TMNT (aka Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) won at the box office with an estimated $25.4 million in 3,110 theatres, averaging over $8,000 per theatre. Budgeted at $34 million, the 3D animated action film directed by Kevin Munroe seems to have successfully revived the franchise that ground to a halt in the ’90s by nearly matching the opening weekend of the original movie back in 1990.

Dropping down to second place in its third weekend, Warner Bros.’ March record-setter 300, based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, held up well by adding another $20.5 million to its box office take, a mere 38% difference from last week, as the historic war epic crossed the $160 million mark. The top 2 placement by Warner Bros. was a great testament to the company’s marketing department that had promoted both movies heavily at San Diego Comic-Con and on the web for the last few months.

Paramount’s action-thriller Shooter starring Mark Wahlberg grossed an estimated $14.5 million over the weekend to take third place, just narrowly defeating Touchstone’s Wild Hogs which dropped down to fourth. It’s very likely that the slight difference between the two might make a difference once actuals are reported.

There’s an equally tight race for fifth place between three movies, each which grossed rougly $10 million over the weekend, with the New Line family film The Last Mimzy eeking out a slight victory according to estimates with $10.2 million.

Sandra Bullock’s thriller Premonition, dropped down to sixth place with $10.1 million, having grossed $32 million in ten days.

Fox Atomic’s horror sequel The Hills Have Eyes 2, written and produced by Wes Craven, wound up im seventh place with an estimated $10 million in its opening frame.

Mike Binder’s drama Reign Over Me, starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle, was given a moderate release by Sony into 1,671 theatres where it grossed an estimated $8 million for 8th place. Despite opening weaker than Sandler’s last foray into drama, Spanglish, the film’s reasonable production budget of $20 million is very much in sight of being redeemed. On the other hand, Lionsgate’s swimming drama Pride, starring Terrence Howard and Bernie Mac, was left with the scraps, grossing just $4 million over the weekend in 150 fewer theatres than Reign.

The Universal ghost film Dead Silence from Saw director James Wan dropped over 55% and down to 10th place with $3.5 million, while Chris Rock’s I Think I Love My Wife also dropped over 50% in its second weekend to fall out of the Top 10.

Opening in three theatres in New York and L.A., Mark Fergus’ First Snow, released by the fledgling Yari Group, had a disappointing debut, earning just $15,000.